Heretofore the standard cylindrical police baton has been an effective tool in the hands of police and other peace officers. This has been the 3.4 centimeter (cm.) diameter by 60 cm. model weighing somewhat less than a kilogram. The said police baton is designed to be grasped at one end and swung or thrust at an attacker. Police officers are also taught other baton techniques which are intended to aid in subduing a recalcitrant suspect.
Recently modified batons with fixed or rotatable side handles have been developed. These side handle batons measure approximately 61.53 cm. along the main shaft which is approximately 3.2 cm. in diameter. At a point approximately 15.38 cm. from one end of the main shaft is affixed, perpendicularly, a handle approximately 14.10 cm. in length. The handle is referred to as a "Yawarra" handle by those skilled in the martial arts. The Yawarra handle is either fixed or rotates as a sleeve about a longitudinal axis which is perpendicular to the main shaft. In both embodiments of the side handle baton the baton is grasped by the side handle which extends upwards to the main shaft and the baton is swung back and forth in a sweeping motion along a horizontal plane.
A weakness of both the standard cylindrical baton and of the side handle batons is that they both require considerable space in which to be effectively used. Both the standard cylindrical baton and the side handle batons are likely to cause severe injuries to the subject, even when such injuries are not warranted. Both the standard cylindrical baton and the side handle batons are most effective when the individual using the baton is confronted head on. Attacks from the side and from the rear are difficult to counter with both the conventional cylindrical baton and the side handle baton. Additionally, both the standard cylindrical baton and the side handle batons are difficult to use in opposition to group attacks. As a consequence of these limitations, both the standard cylindrical baton and the side handle batons are apt to be used aggressively rather than defensively. Because of the size and the manner in which they are grasped, both the standard cylindrical baton and side handle batons are highly visible to the potential assailants and to bystanders. In some situations the high visibility of both the standard cylindrical baton and the side handle batons may increase the potential for physical confrontation between the officer and an excitable suspect.
The standard cylindrical baton, because it is grasped by its end may result in impact trauma to the operator's wrist when the baton is used in a swinging motion to strike a solid object. When used to block an attack with a long weapon, such as an axe handle or tire iron, or an opponent's blow, the standard cylindrical baton does not provide adequate protection, the use of it for defense in such situations may result in injury to the operator's hands and limbs.
Side handle batons require considerable training time to acquire the skill needed for proficient operation. This drawback has tended to limit the use of the side handle batons because of the investment which is required in training to assure the effectiveness and safeness of the weapon's use. Because of the usual length of the side handle batons, when the baton is grasped in the standard ready position, approximately 46.15 cm. of the main shaft extends along the outer side of the operator's forearm and past the elbow. When the arm holding the baton in this manner is raised to defend against a downward blow from a long weapon, the impact may be transferred to the operator's elbow, resulting in injury.